Drinking fountain attachment



Dec. 25, 1951 E. F'. TYLi-:R 2579/7659 DRINKING FOUNTAIN ATTACHMENT Filed Marh 31, 1947 J? MM/f INVENTOR:

Edwarfilen BY 4 TTR/VE X Patented Dec. 25, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to drinking fountains, particularly to one which may be easily attached to a faucet for the purpose of directing the water into two paths, to wit: either directly downwardly from the faucet or upwardly at an angle.

The invention has for an object the provision of means which assures that the drinking of water by a plurality vof individuals will not cause contamination of the device, in that the water is directed outwardly therefrom for drinking purposes, the lips not touching any portion of the device. The ordinary drinking glass used in public places is a notorious oarrier of germs, and such diseases as trench mouth are easly communicated where a common glass is used by many people.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a drinking fountain so formed constructed as to allow its ready attachment to the ordinary faucet as generally found both within and without houses, which when so positioned on the faucet will not interfere with direct water flow if such direct fiow is desired. 4

A further object is the provision of a drinkins,y fountain incorporating a novel form of valve which when actuated in one direction will permit water to be defiected upwardly at an angle and under a selected pressure, any excess of water pressure permitting the water to be directed downwardly past the valve.

Other objects include a drinking fountain attachment which is inexpensive in cost to manufacture, attractive in appearance, useful for a variety of purposes, and which is generally superior to devices now known to the inventor.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the drinking fountain shown attached to a faucet;

Fig. 2 is a Vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. showing the valve member of the device in one position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 2, the valve being moved to a second position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view looking in the direction of the arrow 6 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawing:

The improved drinking fountain is designated as an entirety and in one embodiment by the numeral I, and said drinking fountain is shown as frictionally secured to a faucet 2 and specifically the spout 3 thereof. The drinking fountain may be formed of resilie'nt material such as rubber or rubber composition, or in certain circumstances, of a plastic, and the same includes a body 4. provided with a central bore 51, and with a bore 5 communicating with thecentral bore. That portion of the body containing bore 6 constitutes what may be termed a spout l, which is molded or otherwise secured to the body 4. The bore 5 is not uniform in diameter, being provided with an enlarged counterbore portion at 8, a reduced counterbore at 9, and an enlarged counterbore at IB. The reduced counterbore portion 9 is intermediate counterbores 8 and Ill. The construction is such that a fiange or lip overlies counterbore 8. This portion forms the entrance way for receiving the spout 3.

A flap valve |2 is secured by a narrow tongue |3 to the body 4 within the bore 5, and specifically at that portion which lies between the counterbores 9 and IH. The fiap valve is preferably circular, and is of a diameter sufficient to span the counterbore 9 when the fiap valve is in an up- Ward position, or the position shownlin Fig. 2. The bore 6 of spout 'l communicates both above and below the fiap valve IZ when the valve is bridging counterbore 9, see Fig. 2.

Means 14 is provided for swingingly actuating the fiap valve from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 3. The said means |4 in the present instance includes a Wire which is looped at one end IS, with a portion 16 which substantially parallels the side of the body 4, and a portion |1 at an angle to portion IB, which portion has a U-shaped bend at 18, finally terminating in part |9 in axial alignment with part l'l. The body is transversely bored at 20 to accommodate portions Il and |9 and position the U-shaped portion |8 adjacent the top of the flap valve |2.

In the embodiment of the invention shown, the outer surface of the body 4 is tapered, and the spout 'l extends from one side of the body, as best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5. This construction enhances the appearance of the device. In the embodiment shown the bore 6 is shown as being of two diameters in that the bore pprtion at 2! is of smaller diameter than the bore portion which communicates with the central bore of the body. Such a construction aids in overcoming back pressure, and likewise permits the small stream to rise to a certain height above the fountain when the fountain'is being used.

The operation, uses and advantages of the invention just described are as follows:

Preferably the drinking fountain is formed of i zone.

rubber or rubber composition, although as previ-` ously stated it may be formed of other materials.

The device is adapted to have a frictional engage-` ment with the spout 3 of the faucet 2, and the spout 3 is positioned in the center bore approximately to the zone lying between the counterbores 8 and 9. The lip or flange will tightly grip the surface of the spout 3 and aid in preventing any leak of water. When the valve of the fauciet is opened the water will impinge against the flap valve E2 which normally transversely spans or bridges counterbore 9. This flap valveaots to deflect water into bore 6 of spout 1. There is no need to completely open the faucet when the device of the invention'is being used as a drinking fountain, as such excess pressure will only deflect the fiap Valve further downwardly. The fiap valve |2, together with its tongue |3,

has sufficient stiffness to assure that .it is no't easily defiected under ordinary water pressure. iWhen the fiap valve is in a position such jas vshown at 22, water will vnot only move upwardly Vof the fiap valve 'and swinging it downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3. In this position v'the fiap valve does`not interfere with the flow of water through the bore and water `'will flow normally, that is straight downwardly. In Fig. 2, the means M 'has been moved from the position shown 'at 23 to that of 24, which would move the valve to'the position shown at 22. Obviously `movement of the means 14 will regulate the height to which water will rise above spout '1.

The present device takes advantage of certain 'principles in the flow of water ein that the end of `the spout 3 would normally engage theshoulder -25,`which is formed by the difference in diameter between the counterbores 8 and 9. Thus the lower end of the spout 3 is sealed at -this The counterbore 9, by being reduced in diameter, will cause an increase in the speed of Vfiow of the water, lassuming the same pressure,

while the portion Hi, by being enlarged indi- 'ameter, that is, of greater diameter than the -portion 9, will effect a `reduced fiow of water at Vthis point. Thus vthe fiap valve |2 is found to `function efiiciently, due to vthe enlarged area therebeneath, with .the .ultimate object in view of permitting the fiap valve to deflect water into bore 6 of the spout 1. This construction permits the drinking fountain to function more eficientlyV than it would if the through bore 5 was of uniform diameter. The through bore 5 oonstitutes what may be termed an open-ended passageway in the body 4.

I claim:

1. A drinking fountain attaohment for a faucet,

linoluding a body formed with a through bore having upper and lower counterbores of one diameter and an intermediate counterbore of lesser -diameter, and formed with a bore at an angle to Vthe `axis ofthe beforementioned bores, said last named bore communicating with the lowerlmost counterbore in the body, a resilient flap valve interposed between the counterbore of lesser diame'ter and the lowermost counterbore; and means 'for positively moving the fiap valve from a horizontal position "to a position at an angle to the axis of the through bore.

2. A drinking fountain attachment for a'faucet,

including a body'of resilient material'formed with I a throughbore and with 'a -bore communicating with the throughbore and at an angle torsaid throughbore, a resilient flap valve integrally formed within the body and bridging the throughbore at the zone of its confluencev with the second-named bore, and a Wire transversely passed REFEREN CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,079,441 Roethlisberger Nov. 25, 1913 2,171,471 Brunetti Aug. 29, 1939 2,274,511 Wor'thington. Feb. 24, 1942 2,320,530 Mead June l, 1943 nl 2,524,956 Brunetti i f Oct. 10, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Germany May 23, 1914 

